Videolicious - Free Voice Narrated Video Slideshow App

Videolicious is a free (iTunes link) universal iOS app which allows users to easily create voice-narrated photo and video slideshows. The app walks users through a simple step-by-step process beginning with selecting photos or video clips, recording narration through the front video camera, and finishing with the selection of a background music track.  The finished video shows the first and last couple seconds of the video narration, and then transitions to all the photos and video clips (no audio from imported video clips) which are fit automatically into the narration length.  Unlike some other photo narration apps, the video is saved to the device camera roll for easy transfer to a computer. Some users don't like the fact that you can't directly narrate to specific photos, as you can't see them when you're narrating. What the app lacks in functionality it more than makes up for in ease of use and efficiency! A great tool for students of all ages!

Voicecards Are Not Flashcards - iPad/iPod App for Inclusive Classrooms

Voicecards Are Not Flashcards ($0.99, iTunes universal iPad/iPod/iPhone app, Free lite version available) is remarkably different from most other flashcard apps in that users can both create and use flashcards auditorily! Quick and easy to create for students of all ages as well as a searchable online database of pre-made question sets, this app is a MUST for the inclusive, UDL classroom!

TILT - StopMotion Recorder App for iPhone & iPod Touch 4th Generation

StopMotion Recorder ($0.99) allows users to create stop-motion ‘claymation-like’ videos using your iPod Touch 4th Generation camera! This is a simple, yet powerful app that can get students creating great stop-motion videos instantly!



Download Link (11.4MB .mp4)

Embed a YouTube Video into PowerPoint

Many teachers see the value of viewing YouTube video content with their students but have concerns about some of the advertisements and the other 'wrapper' elements that often surround the YouTube video.  Certainly using sites such as WatchKnow.org are an option, however not all YouTube videos are in WatchKnow.  Some teachers use websites such as Zamzar.com or methods such as KissYouTube or PwnYouTube to convert and download YouTube videos, however some teachers are nervous about copyright and YouTube Terms of Service issues.  Yet other teachers embed YouTube videos on their own blogs and wikis, but some teachers don't have their own easy web publishing spaces.

Recently, while reading Andrea's Blog I discovered that YouTube videos can be embedded into PowerPoint 2007 relatively easily.  Below is a YouTube video describing the process, as well as a download link to a PowerPoint 2007 presentation which has the directions and a couple sample embedded YouTube videos as well.



Download sample PowerPoint 2007 presentation with emedded YouTube video and instructions (1.2 MB PPTX)

A picture is worth a thousand words so I encourage you to watch the YouTube video directions, however if you want the quick instructions the steps are:

1. In PowerPoint, enable the 'Developer' tab by choosing 'PowerPoint Options', then 'Show Developer tab in the Ribbon'
2. On a new slide, choose 'Developer' tab-->'More Controls'-->'Shockwave Flash Object' and click and drag a rectangle for your embedded YouTube video.  It will look like a rectancle with an 'x' inside it.
3. Copy the url of the YouTube video you want embedded
4. Right-click the 'rectangle x' and choose 'Properties'
5. Copy/paste the YouTube url into the ‘Movie’ line.
   E.g. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hChq5drjQl4
6. Remove the ‘watch?’, put a / after the ‘v’, and remove the ‘=‘ sign.
   E.g. Before
   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hChq5drjQl4
   After
   http://www.youtube.com/v/hChq5drjQl4
7. Exit the properties
8. Launch your PowerPoint presentation and your YouTube video will appear (*Requires live Internet connection)

Download sample PowerPoint 2007 presentation with emedded YouTube video and instructions (1.2 MB PPTX)

Using the Pecha Kucha Presentation Technique with Students

The Pecha Kucha presentation essentially involves 20 media-rich slides with little or no text voice-narrated for no longer than 20 seconds per slide for a total presentation time of 6 minutes, 40 seconds.  In this episode you'll see an overview of Pecha Kucha and how your students can create Pecha Kucha presentations of their own.

Thanks to the following people in my Twitter PLN, friends, and the blogosphere for their expertise and experience which helped me create this:

• Aaron Ball, @MrAaronBall, Casual Teacher Blog
• Jeff Johnson, @iLeadCommunity, @iPadEducators
• Sylvia Tolisano, @Langwitches, Langwitches Blog Post "Presentation21 Make-Over"
• Dean Shareski, @shareski, Ideas & Thoughts from an Edtech Blog Post "My First Crack at Keynote and Pecha Kucha"
• Scott Walker, TeacherTechBlog Post "PowerPoint: Students Use Pecha Kucha to Streamline Presentations"
• Joni Dunlap, Thoughts on Teaching Blog Post "Pecha Kucha, an alternative format for presentations"
• Pecha Kucha 20 x 20

Here is the PowerPoint presentation I used in the screencast:

• Using the Pecha Kucha Presentation Technique with Students (6.2MB PPTX File)

Right-click to download:
Windows Media Version (720 x 480, 31Mb)

TILT - Create a Classroom Magazine with PowerPoint

Microsoft PowerPoint is software which is present in most of our schools, however it can be used for so much more than presentations. In this episode, you'll see how PowerPoint can be used to create a beautiful classroom magazine. While the screencast demonstrates PowerPoint 2007, 2003 can also be used.

Project ideas include:

• Thematic articles (e.g. poetry magazine, global citizenship magazine)
• Subject-specific (e.g. math magazine)
• Student portfolio magazine for each student (e.g. work samples, reflections, interviews, etc.)
• Cross-class magazine (e.g. collaborative project between two or more classes)

Publishing options include:

• Print copies with services such as HP's MagCloud
• Online publishing services such as Youblisher

Right-click to download:
iTunes Version (1280 x 720, 32Mb)
Windows Media Version (720 x 480, 13Mb)

Student-created Graphic Organizer Activities to Enhance Visual Literacy & Deepen Learning

Having students create their own graphic organizers with key words or phrases, multimedia, connections, color, and layout can be a great way for them to develop visual literacy and thinking skills, construct and represent knowledge, and show the connections between their ideas and understandings.

In this episode, participants will be shown specific examples of three different types of graphic organizers for different purposes:

• Compare and Contrast Map
• Concept Map (in the form of an opinion composition)
• Hierarchy/Classification Map (in the form of a decision tree)

These three graphic organizers will be demonstrated using three tools which are free or readily available for most students:

• PowerPoint (not just a slide show tool anymore!)
• Prezi zooming presentation tool
• Glogster EDU multimedia poster tool

The ideas shared and discussed with participants will be consistent with the social constructivist classroom in a Universal Design for Learning environment.




 Right-click to download:
iTunes Version (640 x 480, 29 MB)
Windows Media Version (640 x 480, 39 MB)

TILT - Multiple Unique Email Addresses for Student Web 2.0 Services Using a Single Gmail Account

There are many excellent web 2.0 tools that can enhance learning and allow students to communicate what they know, such as Animoto.com/education, Prezi.com, and GoAnimate.com. One of the issues for teachers, however, is that some of these tools require unique email addresses for each user. In this episode, you'll learn how to create numerous unique email addresses for web 2.0 account registrations instantly using a single Gmail account.



Right-click to download:
iTunes Version (640 x 480, 9.4 MB)
Windows Media Version (640 x 480, 4.2 MB)

TILT - iPhones in Classrooms

In this episode, we'll look at four elements of the iPhone which make it a great educational tool for a teacher and students:

• Still/video camera and apps to edit/enhance photos (00:43)
• Audio recorder (04:15)
• iPod/iTunes (05:04)
• Blogging apps (07:31)

Show links: None this episode


Right-click to download:
iTunes Version (320 x 240, 34 MB MPEG-4)
Windows Media Version (640 x 480, 47 MB WMV)

TILT - Slideshows and Video Projects to DVD the Easy (and Free) Way

The thought of burning photo slide shows, PowerPoint presentations, and video projects to DVD as a way of sharing schoolwork with home is desirable to many teachers. With Windows XP however, too often it means having to buy software.

In this episode, you'll see options for converting these projects and burning them to DVD which are easy and which involve using free, trusted software.

Show Links:
DVD Flick Website
Microsoft Photo Story 3
Windows Media Encoder 9


Large Google Video Version
Right-click to download:
iTunes Version (320 x 240, 42 MB MPEG-4)
Windows Media Version (640 x 480, 38 MB WMV)

TILT Episode 16 - Multimedia Storybooks with PowerPoint 2003

We know that our students learn better through multiple representations of the same idea, not to mention the engagement that multimedia can offer our students. With text, animation, narration, and the ability to insert video/audio clips, using PowerPoint to create multimedia storybooks is a natural! In this episode you'll see the basics of creating or retelling a story using PowerPoint 2003.

Show Links:
Rubistar - Online rubric creator
Sounddogs - Downloadable sound effects
Sample multimedia storybook rubric (9KB PDF)
Sample PowerPoint shown in this episode



Large Google Video Version
Right-click to download:
iTunes Version (320 x 240, 37 MB MPEG-4)
Windows Media Version (640 x 480, 36 MB WMV)

TILT Episode 15 - Creating a Timeline with Microsoft Excel

Many of us in schools have access to Microsoft Excel, but finding a variety of uses for this powerful program can be challenging. In this tutorial episode, we will use Microsoft Excel to create a simple yet interactive and media-rich timeline.

Show Links:
Microsoft.com's online lesson
Excel template used in this episode (287 KB)


Large Google Video Version
Right-click to download:
iTunes Version (320 x 240, 19 MB MPEG-4)
Windows Media Version (640 x 480, 23 MB WMV)

TILT Episode 14 - So You Want to be a Vidcaster?

Quite a few people have asked me about how I create TILT episodes. Some want to have their students create their own vidcasts/vodcasts/videoblogs/screencasts and some are interested in creating their own, either for their students, their staff, or for the blogosphere. In this episode, I'll show you how I create these video episodes for FREE. If/when you decide to 'take the plunge' with this type of thing, drop me an email so I can check it out!

Blogger
Wordpress
Windows Media Encoder (Free Windows Screen Recorder)
Snapz Pro X (Apple Screen Recorder)
*UPDATE* iShowU - Another highly-rated Mac Screen Recorder
OurMedia
FeedBurner



Large Google Video Version
Right-click to download:
MPEG-4 (320 x 240, 47 MB)
Windows Media (640 x 480, 65 MB)

TILT Episode 13 - Math Fact Websites are FUN!

Students and teachers from grades 2-9 and beyond often struggle with learning basic math facts. As educators, we know how important memorizing these facts can be in learning numerous other math concepts, yet learning these facts can be a difficult, almost painful process for students. In this episode, we'll look at a few websites which will help students learn basic facts and teachers learn basic facts in a fun way.

Links in this episode:
Math Mayhem (00:29)
Multiflyer (02:14)
Multiplication.com (05:23)
Mathflash! (09:54)


Google Video Large Version
Right-click (Mac Command + click) to download this episode
Windows Media (640 x 480, 47.8 MB)
MPEG-4 (320 x 240) (35Mb)

TILT Episode 12 - Web Applications Part 2

In this episode, we'll feature 4 fantastic web-based applications that can have you and your students using some incredibly-functioning, feature-rich applications without the need to install anything. As the episode title suggests, these applications and tools run right in your web browser and are all FREE.

Applications featured in this episode:
Writely - the web word processor
Gliffy - a web-based concept-mapping/diagram-creating tool similar to Inspiration
Protopage - create feature-rich web pages instantly without any programming (or program)
Gabbly - a chat application window that can appear with ANY website instantly (records your chat transcript too)
Mailinator - instant and disposable email addresses for those who love these web services but don't want to give an email address to register for these services with a real email address


Google Video - larger version
MPEG-4 Version (48MB, 320x240 - Right-click 'Save Target As...' to download)
Windows Media Version (59MB, 640x480)

TILT Episode 11 - Technology for Thinking

Some say that technology does not improve student learning, and have plenty of data to back it up. Others say the reason for that is that teachers aren't teaching differently with technology than they do in their classrooms. I say that if we want to improve learning with technology, we need to understand the learning process. Once we do, we'll be better able to apply those beliefs about how learning should happen to any technology that comes our way.

In this episode, we'll look at 3 popular learning theories, and make connections to how technology can leverage the learning process.




Google Video - larger version
MPEG-4 Version - 64Mb, 320x240 (Right-click and 'Save target as' to download)
Windows Media Version - 83Mb, 640x480

Show Notes

Constructivism - 01:27
Social Cognition - 04:39
Brain-based Learning - 11:04

Show Links
Podomatic
Audacity
Q-Matrix Presentation
Big 6
Webquests
Class Blogmeister
Doing CL
Collaborative Learning Structures
Social Constructivism

Jigsaw Classroom
Crash Course in Learning Theory
Great Problem-Based Learning Article (3MB PDF) by Miguel Guhlin
Math game website shown in the video - Count On
FreePlayMusic - Free music for school-based projects (don't upload to the Internet)
Class Blogmeister
Pod-o-matic - Free online podcasting tool
Funderstanding - Brain-based Learning

TILT Episode 10 - Beginning Excel in the Classroom

Most teachers I've talked to want to use Microsoft Excel with their students but don't know where to begin. This episode guides you through a simple but interesting project with Excel which involves doing a real-time survey, entering that data into Excel, and very quickly and easily turning that data into a pictograph.


Click here for large Google Flash Video
Right-Click to download Episode 10
MPEG-4 Version (320 x 240, 18.5MB)
Windows Media Version (640 x 480, 21.6MB)

TILT Episode 9 - Educational Blogging Part 2

Teachers are doing many things with weblogs in their classrooms. In this episode, we feature some of those blogs as well as interview a Seattle teacher, Bre Pettis, about how he uses blogs with his art students.

Right-click to save MPEG-4 version (79 Mb)

Click here to watch a larger version of this Flash video on Google Video



Show Links:
Mrs. Polak's 4/6 Class Blog
Paul Gates' 2nd Grade Class
Willow Web
Simple Machine Blog
Dive Blog
Young Reader's Choice Awards Blog
Bre Pettis' Room 132 Blog

Episode 4 - Online Literature

Episode 4 - Online Literature

Episode 3 - Educational Robotics

Episode 3 - Educational Robotics

Episode 2 - Digital Pictures in the Classroom

Episode 2 - Using Digital Pictures in the Classroom

Episode 1 - Using the Internet to Enhance Writing

Episode 1 - Using the Internet to Enhance Writing

TILT Episode 8 - Teaching Area, Perimeter, and Scale Drawing with Microsoft Word

In this episode, we look at how teaching the math concepts of area, perimeter, and/or scale drawing can be enhanced using a tool most of us have, Microsoft Word.

Right-click here to download the MPEG-4 Video (24 MB)

Click here to watch the Google Video full screen or click the play button below to watch now!

TILT Episode 7 - Multimedia Animation Using PowerPoint

In this episode, we look at 3 techniques students (and teachers) can use to create animations in PowerPoint:
1) Custom animation built into PowerPoint (2:27)
2) Keyframe animation with 'Duplicate Slides' and/or with sprites (7:25)
3) 'Flash-once' animation (10:41)

I've used all 3 types of animation with kids for different purposes, but by and large the most effective activities I've done are ones that involve students explaining concepts or ideas with animations. Not present in this episode, students can also record their own voices or add music using tools built into PowerPoint.

Click here for the PowerPoint template used in this episode

Show Links:
The Spriter's Resource
Logitech Video Effects
Other Sprite Animation Websites:
The People's Sprites
Game Sprite Archives




Large Google Video Version

MPEG-4 Version (42 MB)

TILT Episode 6 - Educational Blogging Part 1

In this episode we'll begin to examine the learning possiblilities with student blogging. We'll briefly look at some issues associated with student bloging and go for a quick tour of some free blogging platforms for educational blogging. We'll finish by taking a look at ways which parents, teachers, and students can view numerous updated blog entries (RSS Syndication) all in one place.

Show Links:

Blogger
Blogging Legal Guide
Teachers' TV
Blogger in the Classroom - Pete McKay/Sandra Gluth
LearnerBlogs
SuprGlu
Blogmeister
21Publish
NetVibes
Google Reader
R-Mail





Large Google Video Version


MPEG-4 Version